Rugby star Rees-Zammit had Chiefs camp highlight. Here’s where things stand with him

During Sunday’s Chiefs rookie minicamp, there was a moment when running back Louis Rees-Zammit broke free.

Quarterback Chris Oladokun connected with him on a halfback screen, and Rees-Zammit suddenly found himself in a familiar spot, given his rugby background:

With available space.

Rees-Zammit accelerated in the middle of the field, evading tacklers more than 40 yards before whistles eventually stopped the play.

The moment flashed — if everything goes right — the type of skill the 23-year-old former Wales professional rugby player could bring to the Chiefs one day.

“It was amazing,” Rees-Zammit said Monday with a laugh when recalling that specific pass. “When there’s open fields, I feel like I’m playing rugby again. I can use my awareness when I am in space, and that’s when I can cause the most damage. So the more I can do that, the more I can help the team.”

Rees-Zammit is still the first to admit that this transition remains a process. Earlier this year, he trained in Florida for two months with other NFL hopefuls through the league’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program. That was before he signed a contract with the Chiefs in March.

On Monday, he described Chiefs rookie minicamp at the team facility as a “good week — a really good week.”

“The way I learn is like actually doing the rep,” Rees-Zammit said. “So it was a great three days.”

The change to a new sport has not been easy. Take this, for instance: Rees-Zammit said in rugby, the “plays” are set pieces, meaning a team might have 20-30 it prepares for a game.

In American football? Basically all offensive movement is a scripted play, meaning the calls he has to learn are in the hundreds.

Rees-Zammit is also having to learn new movement skills. The Chiefs are starting him as a running back, which he says has benefited him because that role offers more freedom.

Running routes, though, is entirely new. At times, that calls for quick acceleration and then immediate deceleration, which Rees-Zammit has admitted is “pretty tricky” for someone who hasn’t practiced the sport his entire life.

“But the more reps I do, the better I’ll get,” Rees-Zammit said. “And it’s gonna take time. It’s definitely gonna take time, but I’m willing to put the work in.”

Rees-Zammit is working through other nuances that don’t come naturally yet. He’s used to tracking the ball and catching passes from players that are lateral to him in rugby.

But throws from a quarterback while running away from the line of scrimmage? Or ones that are over his head?

“That’s been a bit different,” Rees-Zammit said. “I’m just loving being able to work and work on all these crafts, because the more I can do, the more I can try and help this team.”

The good news for Rees-Zammit is that there’s been early progress. Coach Andy Reid mentioned that when talking about Rees-Zammit on Monday, saying he also likes that he takes short strides, which is beneficial for running backs when trying to maneuver tight spaces.

“He’s so diligent with everything and wants to be so good at everything,” Reid said. “I’ve appreciated that.”

Reid anticipates more adjustments ahead. Rees-Zammit tends to run more upright than his teammates — a characteristic the coach said will likely change once Rees-Zammit gets hit a few times in practices.

Rees-Zammit also has had to alter his hand position, as an American football is smaller and more pointy than a rugby ball.

Working on all this, though, was part of a lifelong dream for Rees-Zammit. He grew up watching NFL games overseas after his father, Joe, played American football on a team in Europe.

Rees-Zammit also attended two NFL games in England, and even went to an Indoor Football League game once when vacationing in the United States.

He said his goal was to live in the U.S. one day.

“I achieved everything I wanted to in rugby,” Rees-Zammit said. “So I thought now was the perfect time.”

His best chance to make this year’s Chiefs roster will likely involve special teams. At 6 foot 3 and 194 pounds, Rees-Zammit has good size, and the NFL’s new kickoff rule could give him more ways to contribute in his natural, off-script setting.

As for now, Rees-Zammit said he’s just embracing every day as he tries to catch up on his newest sport.

“The coaches are very creative here, so we’ll see what they can do. But it’s all about me learning the playbook and learning the game. Because without that, I can’t do anything else,” Rees-Zammit said. “I’m fully focused on the now.

“I’ve got to make this team. How am I going to do that? I’ve got to perform on the field. I’ve got to learn the playbook. And then we’ll go from there.”